Meth Use On the Rise but Still Under the Radar

Our Prescott Drug Rehabilitation Center Offers Help

It is true that the opioid epidemic has been the focus of recent media
coverage, medical studies and rehabilitation efforts; but the truth of
the matter is that
methamphetamine and prescription amphetamine use is on the rise as well. The number of
patients hospitalized and treated in the emergency room due to meth-related
symptoms is alarming. At
Decision Point Center, we treat all substance abuse and addiction with equal attention and urgency,
full knowing that one does not usurp another. Using multiple approaches
to treatment, education and cognitive behavioral therapy, our team provides
the well-rounded support our clients require to feel safe, hopeful and
able to recover.

When the Spotlight Is Too Small

Sometimes a drug issue becomes, for lack of a better word, “popular.”
Yes, this sounds strange, but it is true. Television shows, advertising
companies, even drug, and doctoral associations can become fixated on
a specific drug and its abuse. Such is the case with opioids.

Opioid abuse has been on the rise for quite some time, from a lackadaisical
approach to handing out prescriptions to a now-overwhelming turn to heroin
as a supplement. Patients become addicted to the high experienced when
taking opioids; and when doctors cut off their prescriptions, or the prescription
regulations become stricter, they turn to heroin for the easier, cheaper
and more accessible fix.

Unfortunately, it appears that the focus on opioids has allowed methamphetamine
abuse to escape the spotlight. The excessive use of prescription “answers”
to mental health concerns (often in children) of ADD or ADHD and other
attention-related diagnosis has provided an easy segway into methamphetamine
use. Often, amphetamines are prescribed for attention issues, either for
children or adults; suddenly, parents realize how much easier it is to
focus, to get work done and to go without eating (diet!) by popping one
little prescription pill. Additionally, college students are using these
drugs to help them study during exams, stay awake for finals or for parties
and stave off the infamous “freshman 15.” For this reason,
it is often considered the “soccer mom drug.”

This prescription drug use is only half of the problem. Methamphetamine
is easy to obtain and relatively cheap, providing a high that is extremely
appealing to all users who like the effects of uppers. Unfortunately,
with this comes an influx of death, injury, and hospitalization. Producing
rapid heart rates, psychotic episodes (often due to lack of sleep) and
anxiety, the drug is bound to send people over the edge. According to a
recent MSN article, the number of amphetamine-related hospitalizations has skyrocketed by
a frightening 245% from 2008 to 2015. Extended use causes loss of teeth,
extreme weight loss, and skin conditions that are often exacerbated by
the user’s need to pick at things they feel under their skin.

Methamphetamine Rehab Available in Prescott, Arizona

Despite the mass attention on opioid use and its effects, other drugs such
as methamphetamine and prescription amphetamines are still widely abused.
The struggle to get hold of an addiction to these substances is very real
and very difficult. Our leadership team and professional staff take a
personal and innovative approach to helping clients achieve lifelong sobriety.
We know that a traditional approach does not always work on its own, and
we are proud to offer alternative styles of treatment to aid in the recovery process.

If you are battling with methamphetamine or another drug addiction, please
contact us today and take your first step to a new beginning.